DC Memory Card and internal battery issues

[Kitsune Sniper]

Ahoy. I have two questions.

The first one is related to the DC itself. The system no longer keeps the date stored in its memory (it keeps prompting me for the date whenever I boot it up), so I'm guessing the internal battery died. How would I go about replacing this, and what battery model do I need?

The second is related to a memory card I just got. I bought a lot of four memory cards, and three of them work fine. But the fourth? It FROZE my Dreamcast.

Basically what happened was this: I turned on the system with the lid open so I would go into the system menu. I went to the File option, and plugged in card after card to see what they had stored. I wiped the first three cards without any problem (One was a Performance 1x Memory Card, the other two are official gray DC VMUs), but when I got to the fourth one... well, you know how VMUs beep when you insert them, right? This one beeped three times longer than normal, and the DC pad stopped responding. I tried this three different times before turning off the system and starting it up with the bad VMU already on the pad.

This let me use the DC normally. I went into the File menu, and the VMU only had one dumb NBA2K savefile, so I wiped it (reinitialized it). The system hasn't frozen again, though the VMU keeps beeping for longer than normal.

Any clue on what's going on here? Thanks.

[Kitsune Sniper]

Also! Sorry for the double post but I have another question.

First, the freezing VMU is an official Sega VMU, just so you know.

Anyway, should I remove the batteries from my VMUs? I don't have any VMU-enabled games, and I don't plan on trading games with people anyway. Sorry for the double post!

[lakeflaccid]

Ahoy. I have two questions.

The first one is related to the DC itself. The system no longer keeps the date stored in its memory (it keeps prompting me for the date whenever I boot it up), so I'm guessing the internal battery died. How would I go about replacing this, and what battery model do I need?

I think the internal battery on the Dreamcast is rechargeable, so, assuming it isn't shot, it should just recharge if you leave the DC running. At least, mine usually stops asking for the time if I leave the DC running for a while.

The second is related to a memory card I just got. I bought a lot of four memory cards, and three of them work fine. But the fourth? It FROZE my Dreamcast.

I can't really answer this one. I had a VMU that beeped outrageously long. I think it was a Japanese model VMU. I don't recall it ever freezing the DC.

[Gapporin]

IIRC, removing the battery from the VMU won't do anything. It'll still beep (although it might beep shorter).

[InsaneDavid]

Ahoy. I have two questions.

The first one is related to the DC itself. The system no longer keeps the date stored in its memory (it keeps prompting me for the date whenever I boot it up), so I'm guessing the internal battery died. How would I go about replacing this, and what battery model do I need?

I think the internal battery on the Dreamcast is rechargeable, so, assuming it isn't shot, it should just recharge if you leave the DC running. At least, mine usually stops asking for the time if I leave the DC running for a while.

Correct, however the rechargable battery CAN go bad after so long, they don't last forever. It's a rechargable 2032 (NOT a CR2032, that's a non-rechargable cell) - if you use a CR2032 the Dreamcast will attempt to charge it and cause possible damage. There was a huge debate about this about a year ago but I don't want to dig it up because half of the posts were BS.

Go to Radio Shack or your favorite components dealer and get a 2032 (NOT a CR2032). It's usually easiest to remove the stock battery and battery clips (since the stock battery is hardwired) and replace them with a new battery clip. It's easy work, heat up the clips, pull them out, solder in leads from a new one, slip the new battery into the new clip.

[cmislin]

Also if you have a voltage meter you can read the voltage if it reads like pretty close to zero you could try to leave the DC plugged in and see if recharges it but if it doesn't within a day or two its probably not chargeable any longer. I wish I knew more about the VMU's I have a few and mine are not brand new bought I know one game for sure that works with them is
Skies of Arcadia. If you can msg me on yahoo or aol my names are on my profile I might be able to help you with your VMU issue

[6502]

You might as well remove the batteries if you're not going to play any VMU games. Saves will still be fine without the batteries. The only issue you'll have is that the VMUs will emit an extra long beep on bootup if the battery is missing or dead. If it bothers you it's possible to cut the speaker, but...that's permanent.

What I did is buy the CR2032s in bulk online. Got about twenty of them for something like five bucks (they're really cheap, the online auctions selling them for $3-5 apiece are ripoffs). Whenever I want to play a VMU game (extremely rare occurrence) I'll pop a battery into the VMU, then take it out when I'm done. Having all those spare batteries is also handy since a lot of videogame stuff uses them (Saturn, etc.)

Some of the VMU games are pretty fun. Capcom in particular supported the VMU very well (better than Sega IMO). I remember in the DC's heyday while I was still in grad school, I'd take a VMU to the library whenever needed a break from studying (just had to remember to disable the sound!) Tech Romancer's VMU games and the Skies of Arcadia Pietro quests were some that I spent a lot of time on. It's been forever since I played any of these, but I think the Powerstone games and Timestalkers also had decent VMU games.

[Kitsune Sniper]

Well, now I've run into a problem - I don't know anything about soldering or stuff. :\

I'll see if a friend can help me out either way. Thanks. Now to remove those batteries... just so they don't end up leaking into the internals.

[InsaneDavid]

Well, now I've run into a problem - I don't know anything about soldering or stuff. :\

I'll see if a friend can help me out either way. Thanks. Now to remove those batteries... just so they don't end up leaking into the internals.

It's really easy work, just removing two battery clips and installing two replacement leads. Make sure you explain that, I know a lot of people that get scared off when you mention working inside a video game console.

[Kitsune Sniper]

Well, now I've run into a problem - I don't know anything about soldering or stuff. :\

I'll see if a friend can help me out either way. Thanks. Now to remove those batteries... just so they don't end up leaking into the internals.

It's really easy work, just removing two battery clips and installing two replacement leads. Make sure you explain that, I know a lot of people that get scared off when you mention working inside a video game console.

Still scary. The friend owes me a few favors so I'll see how that goes.

And regarding the internal battery not being charged, my DC is never unplugged. It's sitting in my room hooked up so it should charge the battery, right?

[cmislin]

well yes as long as the battery can still hold a charge but those replacement batteries are cheap

[InsaneDavid]

And regarding the internal battery not being charged, my DC is never unplugged. It's sitting in my room hooked up so it should charge the battery, right?

Yes, the battery is simply past it's lifespan and needs to be replaced with another rechargable cell. They don't last forever. Should have been a user-serviceable part like with the Saturn. A rechargable cell is a great idea, but hiding it in the bowels of the system, not so much.